Stressing that cyber warfare is a “strategic challenge”, the visiting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Thursday said that his country and its defence industry were ready and committed to strengthening its cooperation with India to make a safer world.

Introducing the heads of Israel’s defence industry, Rivlin said in a speech on Thursday, “We did not seek to become experts in the field of defence, but through the struggle for our independence and our liberty, we learned how important it is to be able to defend ourselves, to fight our enemies, to fight terrorism. Today the battlefield is changing. Cyber warfare is no longer science fiction, it is a strategic challenge. In all these areas, Israel, and Israeli industry is ready and committed to strengthening this cooperation to make a safer world. Of course we are very grateful to our Indian partners for the way they work together with us in order to ensure a safe and secure world.”

He added, “There is positive and growing cooperation between our countries in many areas of defence and security. We also face a common challenge in fighting terrorism and radicalism. I am here today to affirm our commitment to the fight against global terrorism. We are here today to carry the great potential of this partnership into reality.”

Rivlin is in India for an eight-day visit. After holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week, he visited Agra and is scheduled to travel to Karnal, Chandigarh and Mumbai.

Regarding cooperation across diverse sectors, he said, “Israel wants to play a part in the Four-Colours Revolution that Prime Minister Modi has set as India’s national goal, that brings together the colours of the Indian flag: saffron for solar power, green for agriculture, white for dairy produce and blue for water. In all these issues, Israel — little Israel — is a giant of knowledge and experience, as we have already had to overcome our own challenges. Our advanced solar power systems, irrigation systems, water treatment projects and the average milk production per cow are just a few examples.Today’s innovations are almost unimaginable — and we now have companies working to make water out of air. We want to gather all these technologies, all the power of our Israeli innovations, as our motivation today: To make in India!! To make with India!! To be your partners!”

He said the two sides were cooperating to attain food security. “We already have Israeli and Indian experts working together with local farmers to improve Indian produce and the lives of local families. We are very proud of all they are doing. Tomorrow, I will visit Karnal where Indians and Israelis are developing new kinds of cherry tomatoes (which is an Israeli invention). They are already ‘making in India’ a future together.”

“Our two nations have changed the world before; it is time to do it again, together. Thank you all, let’s do business,” he said to a standing ovation.